31 January 1920

[Document 24978]

TELEGRAM TO THE GUBERNIYA FOOD COMMISSAR MYASKOV
COPIES TO THE GUBERNIYA COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY
AND THE COOPERATIVE DEPARTMENT OF THE MUSOYEVSK
SAMARA
25 January 1920

Samara holds first place in the number of frictions and misunderstandings with the cooperative movement. I am astonished that the decree of 20 March* has not yet been implemented. I propose strict adherence to the instructions of the People's Commissariat of Food Supply. Report what held up your work, who established the commission that removed Chairman Mikhailov and other cooperative workers, and on what grounds it operates. Instead of the irritating struggle against the cooperative by means of pursuing individual persons, concentrate your efforts on the political preparation for new elections.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
Lenin

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

[Document 4740]

RESOLUTION ON A. M. GORKY'S LETTER
31 January 1920

I am deeply sorry, dear Vladimir Ilyich, that I am compelled to turn to you with a complaint and request — here one cannot obtain a sensible answer from anyone.

About a year ago by telegram of the Supreme Council of the National Economy I was appointed commissar of the "Kopeyika" printing house, which was placed entirely at the disposal of "World Literature." For the purposes of technical supervision and accounting, the former commissar from the local polygraphic section of the Supreme Council of the National Economy was also retained alongside me.

**"WORLD LITERATURE" EXPENDED ENORMOUS EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE PRINTING HOUSE DURING A DIFFICULT YEAR AND TO PREVENT IT FROM THE COLLAPSE IN WHICH THE MAJORITY OF THE LARGE, NATIONALIZED PRINTING HOUSES NOW FIND THEMSELVES.**

* The reference is to the decree on consumer communes published in "Izvestiya of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee" on 20 March 1919.

To Vorovsky for urgent action.
Lenin

THE LENIN COLLECTION

Wishing to raise the productivity of these printing houses, the local polygraphic section found no other means than to forcibly, through its commissar, remove the worker personnel from "Kopeyika" and transfer them to Soviet printing houses.

On 27 January in this manner 10 workers from the machinery department were taken from me; on the 28th, the same number of typesetters and bookbinders were requisitioned. These removals were carried out despite my protest as commissar.

Such conduct on the part of the polygraphic section, completely destroying the work of "Kopeyika," deprives "World Literature" of the possibility of printing its books. In addition to "World Literature," work for the Baltic Fleet, the Murmansk Railway is being printed in "Kopeyika" with my consent, and orders from Smolny are being fulfilled. It goes without saying that the printing house accepts no private orders whatsoever.

Thus, in destroying the work of "Kopeyika," the polygraphic section inflicts damage on Soviet power itself.

I ask you:

1. To protect "Kopeyika" from further attempts on the part of the polygraphic section.

2. To take measures to return to "Kopeyika" the workers taken from it.

3. To confirm with sufficient authority my rights as commissar, indicating that the printing house is handed over to the exclusive disposal of "World Literature," and that no other commissar is needed besides myself.

I am convinced that only in this way is it possible to ensure the further work of "World Literature" and to preserve from destruction the only large printing house in Petrograd that is functioning properly. I ask that my request be considered without delay and that an answer be given to me by telegraph, for the destruction of the printing house has already begun and is being conducted with great vigor.

M. Gorky

[Documents 8437 and 41063]

NOTES CONCERNING THE DRAFT REGULATIONS
ON THE BONUS SYSTEM FOR WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES
1 February 1920

Concerning bonuses, doubts of a most serious kind arise.

§ 4 — a completely arbitrary determination of the norm (50% — precisely 50% — from "the best," i.e., with the best machines, etc.). This is entirely arbitrary. Is it not possible to be more precise? Public—